Shun BJP to save democracy: Yechury

Warangal: BJP-led Central government is the biggest threat to democracy, CPI (M) national general secretary Sitaram Yechuri said while addressing a public meeting at the launch of Prajay Chaitanya Yatra in Warangal on Friday. He said that the Centre is least bothered about the poor. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi is more concerned about benefiting the corporate houses while burdening the common man. A whopping 23 crore people in the country are living in poverty due to the pro-corporate policies of the Centre," Yechury said.

Accusing the Centre of privatising several public sector units (PSUs), he said that the corporate houses increased their assets by 40 per cent since Modi assumed power. People lost nearly Rs 15 lakh crores after US-based Hindenburg research report exposed the Adani Group's business manipulations, Yechury said.  Modi who promised to bring black money stashed in foreign banks and deposit Rs 15 lakh to every citizen's bank account hoodwinked people.

Further, he took potshots at Modi by questioning him on his assurance of providing two crore jobs every year to the unemployed youths. The Centre also broke the back of small and medium businessmen through Goods and Service Tax (GST). "India ranks 107th out of the 121 countries in the Global Hunger Index," Yechury said.  By creating hatred against the Muslim and Christians, the BJP is trying to gain political mileage, he said. "It's high time that people need to raise a banner of revolt against the BJP government," Yechury said.

CPM Telangana secretary Tammineni Veerabhadram demanded the State government to focus on providing houses to the shelterless. He threatened to launch an agitation if the State government fails to do so. He said that they were organising Jana Chaitanya Yatra from Friday and it will end in Hyderabad on March 29 with a public meeting. He said that they will expose the 'misdeeds' of the BJP government during the yatra.

CPI Telangana secretary Kunamneni Sambasiva Rao said that together the CPI and the CPM will exert pressure on the State government until it concedes their demand for houses to the poor.  The meeting was presided over by the CPM Warangal district secretary Ch Rangaiah in which senior leaders G Nagaiah, P Sudarshan Rao, Cherukupalli Sitaramulu, Julakanti Ranga Reddy, Mallu Laxmi of AIDWA and Jagadish of CITU were among others present.